These physical and psychological traits are developed by training which starts at age five. The major emphasis, of course, is on combat and related subjects, such as weapons, martial arts, High War Speech, military and Sandeman history, and perhaps some spacecraft handling. Other important subjects are customs and courtesies, need management, the clan's specialty, and one or more personal interests, usually including some form of handiwork. When the young warriors move into the main clanhome at puberty, they begin doing their own chores (laundry, cleaning, etc.), including a share in cooking. At approximately 18 years old, there is a graduation ceremony for the new warriors and w'women, indicating that they now take their place in the clan as adults. There is no sharp division other than that an adult will not fight or have sex (except for the instructors) with a student; part of the post-graduation party is an adult inviting one of the new graduates to one or the other. Warriors have the typical Sandeman ethnocentrism, but to an even greater degree. The race was created to be better than its creators, and the warriors are the best of the Sandemans. Fortunately, they are also more concerned with honor, propriety, and courtesy, and they are thoroughly trained in "warrior restraint"; it is dishonorable to fight Others who regard themselves as non-combatants, however great the provocation, except in self-defense. To a Sandeman warrior, the Marine slogan "Death before dishonor" is a truism--and a probable reason most warriors spend some time in that service. Their physiology and training, however, make it unlikely that a warrior will ever become a Ranger or Sovereign; they are temperamentally unsuited to administering a civilian group larger than a clan. WARRIORS'-WOMEN, Sandeman: (abbreviated w'women) The female members of the warrior caste, women trained in combat, medicine, and need management. They have no genetic modifications beyond those shared by all Sandemans, so any girl-child who wants to take the training may do so, and most warriors' daughters, particularly the eldest, at least begin training; those who complete it successfully wear a gold-gemmed ring (e.g., golden topaz) to mark their status. Since they have no special genetic alterations, however, any who decide they are not suited to the life may quit at any time, during or after training. Because of this, there are fewer w'women than warriors, though ideally their numbers would be equal. About the best ratio most clans can expect is one w'woman for two to three warriors. WEN: (Imperial English) Indefinite pronoun used either when sex is unknown or irrelevant (e.g., crewwen) or referring to a group in which both sexes are present (e.g., crewwens).